**FILE** Federal Communications Chairman Michael Powell is shown in this Sept. 30, 2003, file photo on Capitol Hill in Washington. Powell said Monday, Feb. 2, 2004, he was outraged by the Super Bowl halftime show in which Justin Timberlake tore off part of Janet Jackson's costume, exposing her breast, and said he was ordering an immediate investigation. (AP Photo/Stephen J. Boitano, File) less

**FILE** Federal Communications Chairman Michael Powell is shown in this Sept. 30, 2003, file photo on Capitol Hill in Washington. Powell said Monday, Feb. 2, 2004, he was outraged by the Super Bowl halftime ... more

Photo: STEPHEN J. BOITANO

Photo: STEPHEN J. BOITANO

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**FILE** Federal Communications Chairman Michael Powell is shown in this Sept. 30, 2003, file photo on Capitol Hill in Washington. Powell said Monday, Feb. 2, 2004, he was outraged by the Super Bowl halftime show in which Justin Timberlake tore off part of Janet Jackson's costume, exposing her breast, and said he was ordering an immediate investigation. (AP Photo/Stephen J. Boitano, File) less

**FILE** Federal Communications Chairman Michael Powell is shown in this Sept. 30, 2003, file photo on Capitol Hill in Washington. Powell said Monday, Feb. 2, 2004, he was outraged by the Super Bowl halftime ... more

When singer Justin Timberlake reached over to Jackson, just after singing, "Better have her naked by the end of this song," and ripped off a part of her costume, it exposed more than a breast.

It revealed the growing divide between those who believe networks should be free to decide what airs on television and those who would like government to be tougher in enforcing rules against indecency.

"This was MTV meets Middle America, and it was ugly," says Jim Steyer, chairman and CEO of the Bay Area-based Common Sense Media, which favors more rigorous regulation of the airwaves.

Others were wondering what the fuss is about. "There's no story here," said University of Southern California journalism professor Joe Saltzman. "People have seen a breast before."

By yesterday morning, the backpedaling had commenced in earnest.

Jackson insisted that the decision to rip off part of her costume "was made after final rehearsals." She said MTV, which produced the halftime show for CBS, was "completely unaware of it."

"It was not my intention that it go as far as it did," Jackson added. "I apologize to anyone offended -- including the audience, MTV, CBS and the NFL. "

Her spokesman said a red lace garment was supposed to remain when Timberlake tore off the costume's outer covering.

But several news organizations suggested that at least some of those putting on the show knew what was going to happen.

The Drudge Report, an Internet site that mixes news and gossip, claimed that "top CBS executives approved ... a skit where Janet Jackson would expose her breast."

And several news organizations reported finding an entry on the MTV Web site -- later removed -- that crowed, "Janet Jackson got nasty at the MTV produced Super Bowl Halftime show."

CBS insisted it knew nothing about the stunt, as did MTV.

"CBS deeply regrets the incident," CBS spokeswoman Leslie Anne Wade said, adding that representatives from the network attended rehearsals of the show, and they never thought "any such thing would happen."

The always-conservative NFL harrumphed its displeasure.

"We were extremely disappointed by the MTV-produced halftime show," said Tagliabue in a prepared statement.

And FCC Chairman Powell, already under fire for taking tepid action when U2 singer Bono used the f-word during last year's Golden Globes awards, thundered into action.

"I am outraged at what I saw during the halftime show of the Super Bowl," said Powell, promising a swift and thorough investigation. "Like millions of Americans, my family and I gathered around the television for a celebration. Instead, that celebration was tainted by a classless, crass and deplorable stunt. Our nation's children, parents and citizens deserve better."

Powell could fine each CBS affiliate that aired the Super Bowl $27,500. But Common Sense's Steyer scoffed that the amount is nothing more than a "chauffer tip" for Sumner Redstone, president of Viacom, which owns both CBS and MTV.

To all of those expressing indignation, Saltzman at USC says, "Haven't they ever seen Janet Jackson perform before? She's the worst singer and dancer in the world, but she does suggestive dancing."

Even Steyer, who is on the other end of the argument, thinks it's a little late for Powell to be shocked.

"Where has he been?" Steyer asks. "So Michael Powell has suddenly gotten religion? He has to do something. He's at least using the bully pulpit."

That may be the extent of it if the Golden Globes experience is any indication.

Bono, thrilled to win an award, said "This is really, really f -- brilliant." Some viewers were offended, but the FCC Enforcement Bureau originally ruled that it was not a violation because the word was used "as an adjective, not a verb."

Powell later amended the ruling to say that a future use of the word would be penalized.

The larger issue, Steyer and others believe, is the "slippery slope" of declining standards in the media.

"The MTV-ization of the NFL is so far out of character for the (league)," Peters says. "We are moving to a gladiator spectacle, which people are only watching for blood and sex."

Steyer wanted to know what the NFL had in mind when it turned this show over to MTV.

"I thought the whole thing was pathetic," Steyer said. "You've got (rapper) Nelly with his usual crotch grabbing. He's singing, "It's getting hot in here, take off all your clothes.' What a nice message for my 6-year-old daughter. I can tell you we got hundreds of e-mails and calls. I got calls at home, from friends, saying what are you going to do?"

However, there is the possibility that the public outcry is exactly what the performers were hoping for. Jackson has hardly been setting the entertainment world aflame lately. This is more attention than she's gotten in years.

This sort of stunner has worked nicely for MTV in the past. At the 2003 MTV Video Music Awards, Madonna kissed pop divas Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera. The reaction was widespread outrage -- and at least of week of publicity for the singers and MTV.

"I don't believe that this was accidental for a second," says Steyer. "What I want to know is where were the advertisers? Aren't they saying, "We spent $2.3 million for 30 seconds, and we get lumped in with Janet Jackson and Nelly?"

But ratings suggest it was a great Super Bowl for advertisers. It was the most-watched game in the past six years, with an average viewership of 89.6 million.

That is one of the biggest up-ticks since 1993, when a performer named Michael Jackson preformed at halftime and repeatedly grabbed his crotch on national television. It created national outrage -- and record television ratings.